Toy



PR 28,1936- N. c. STILWELL. 2,038,76Q.

` TOY Filed NOV. 30, 1934 INVETOR Neil asti/Weiz,

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1936 Y -U NITE Dy STATES PATENT" OFFICE 6 Claims.

The object of my invention is to produce an article which may be readily. associated with cartons, such for: instance as butter and1 lard cartons, shoe boxes andthe like, byy means of which such cartons may be readily formed into a draggable toy andan indefinite number thereof associated -in series to forma train.

The accompanyingdrawing.illustrates my invention.-

Fig. 1 is arside elevation in partial vertical section Aof such a carton'equippedwith a pairof my improved4 articles;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is azvertical sectiongona'r larger scale, showing a-fragment of such-a'carton equipped carton;

Fig. 41s va-view similar to Fig. 3 showingvthe same form of-my article arranged with the main "body thereof on the exteriorI of the carton;

Fig. 5- is a fragmentary vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 611s afhorizontal section=on line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7-is a'perspective view of one form of my device;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another form;

Fig. 9 is a plan on a larger scale showing the manner in which two such articles may be coupled together; and

Fig. l0 is a plan of a paper blank showing the manner in which my improved article may be produced from material which is commonly wasted in the production of a carton with which my device may be associated.

In the drawing, III indicates the main body of my improved article, which may be formed of `any suitable sheet material such as cardboard or thin metal. The opposite sides of the body I0 are provided with Wheel simulating portions II, I I foldable, on the fold lines I2, I2, to positions at right angles to the main body IIl. Integral with each ear II, upon the opposite side of the fold line, is a tongue I3 struck out from the main body IIJl and a portion I3 of this tongue, severed from ear II along the line I4 may be turned, on the fold-line I5, to a position substantially at right angles to tongue I3. The upper edges I6 of tongue I3 and tongue supplement I3 may be inclined relative to each other, as shown at the left-,hand end of Fig. 7, to facilitate penetration of a carton, or may be left as shown at the rightliand end of Fig. 7. Projecting from one end of main body I0 is a coupling tongue I'I provided at one side edge with an open ended inclined slot I8,

withone form of'my device arranged withinthe' fications of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7V

may be made wtihout departing from the spiritA of my invention. Forinstance, in Fig. 8, the main body IU is only provided with wheel simulating ears Il and tongue I1. It will'be also readily understood that means other than the open ended slot I8 maybe provided to facilitate coupling without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The lcarton 20, in the'drawing'is illustrated' as of a'common type used to contain butter, lard, etc., but it will be readily.V understood that the detailsV of. construction formno part of my invention. If the cartonsv are intended by the distributor to be subsequently used in. conjunction with my devices the bottoms4 2I thereof maybe providedr with-markings, weakened'v portions, or perforations 22 to'facilitate' association ofmy devicesftherewith.

In order'to associatefthedevice shown in Fig. 7` with a carton, the device may either be inserted in the carton and ears Il projected outwardly through the bottom of the carton, and tongue I'I projected outwardly through or beneath an end wall of the carton as shown in Fig. 3 or tongues I3 may be projected inwardly through the bottom as shown in Fig. 4. When ears II are projected outwardly through the bottom the tongue supplements I3 may be turned at right angles to tongues I3 so that their lower edges will engage Ythe bottom of the carton at a substantial angle to the tongue I3, thereby bracing the structure, as shown in Fig. 6. 1f the structure shown in Fig. 7 has had its tongues I3 projected inwardly through the bottom of the carton such projection may be accomplished either while tongue supplement I3' is in the same plane as tongue I3 and tongue supplement I3 then swung to a position at an angle to tongue I3 over the bottom of the ycarton, or the tongue supplement I3 may be first swung to a position at an angle to tongue I3 and penetration of the bottom of the carton then accomplished, the tongue supplement I3 being thereafter swung over the upper face of the bottom of the carton, as shown in Fig. 6, if desired.

The form shown in Fig. 8 must have its main body arranged within the carton, the ears II being projected outwardly through the bottom of the carton and tongue I'I projected through or beneath the end of the carton, the forward edge IIJ" 0f cartoned merchandise may readily estimateV may therefore supply his distributors'with an adeof the main body being preferably closely adjacent the inner face Aof the end wall of theV carton, as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted, from Fig. 10,'that devices of such character may be readily formed, if desired, from material which is otherwise Wasted in the production of the carton.

The Width ofthe main body of my article, between the fold lines I2, may be equal to or less than Vthe internal Width of the carton with which my device is to be associated,V but these dimensions are preferably equal, Vin the form shown in Fig. 7, so that the tongues I3 may serve to brace the Wheel simulating ears Il by engagement with the inner face of the adjacent side Wall of the'VY carton, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

It will be readily understood that a distributorV the proportion of his merchandise which Will ultimately reach families having childrenV and quatev number of my Vdevices to enable those children to utilize his carton for toy purposes after the merchandise has been removed and that such a distributor; if he desires to stimulate his tradel by an especial appeal to'children, lmay deco- Y rate cartons to simulate toys and may, if he desires,

so 'decorate them as to facilitateremoval or dis- I placement of portions thereof to further the modification of the cartons into simulations of various vehicles and other articles. Y

Y My structure is of such character that a-pair of them may be readily enclosed with the merchandise, the space and size of such articles being such as to permit such enclosure Without distortion of the 'carton andwithout substantially les-` sening the container value thereof.

A notch 25 may be formed at the root of tongue I3 so that, uponcarton penetratioma slight vertical interlock will be formed. I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufactura'a toy forming L supplement for cartons comprising a main body sheet adapted to lie parallel toa bottomV YWall of a carton and having side ears bendableinto substantially vertical planes substantially at right angles to the horizontal plane of the main body, and a coupling tongue projecting from one end. 2. The combination with a shipping carton made up Wholly of plane surfaces, each of said plane surfaces meeting each adjacent plane surface in a right angle, of a plate having a pair of portions at opposite sides lying substantially at right angles to the main body of the plate and projected through a Wall of the carton, and having'at'one end a coupling tongue projecting beyond an end ofthe carton.

3. A shipping, carton adapted to be converted into a toy by the attachment thereto of a plate having at opposite sides portions lying in planes substantial angle to the main body of the tongue. Y

5. A truly rectangular carton which is convertibleinto a toy upon association therewith of a toy-forming supplement, comprising a main body sheet adapted to lie-parallel to a bottom Wall of a cartonand having side ears bendableintoisub-V stantially vertical planes substantially at'right angles to the horizontal Yplane of the main body, and a couplingtongue*projecting from one end.

6. A truly rectangular carton which is con-7 vertible'into a toy upon association therewith of a toy-forming supplement, comprising a 'main'j body sheet having side ears bendable'substantially at right angles to the plane of the Vmain body, a pair of tonguesprojectable from the main body in a direction opposite'to the direction of ear pro-. jection, and a pair of supplemental tongues of like character andpositionable in planes at substantial angles to the planes of adjacent tongues.

` l NEIL C. STILWELL.v 

